CHRIS COLEMAN has launched a stinging attack on the fixture congestion that is forcing Coventry City FC to play three matches in the space of seven days.

The Sky Blues boss says it was a “ludicrous” decision to plan the first round of the Carling Cup and a full friendly international programme for the opening week of the new Championship campaign.

And he claimed that the hectic schedule is “dangerous” because of the early-season strain it puts on clubs with limited resources.

Coleman’s squad is down to the bare bones for tomorrow’s home cup tie against League One Hartlepool United with seven of Sunday’s starting 11 against Ipswich unavailable.

* Keiren Westwood, Sammy Clingan, Aron Gunnarsson and Leon Best are all on international duty – although Best has picked up an injury that might rule him out of Saturday’s trip to Barnsley.

* David Bell and Clinton Morrison are also injured, with Bell facing fresh surgery on his ankle while Morrison, City’s two-goal hero against Ipswich, is likely to be restricted to a place on the bench.

* And Dutch teenager Patrick van Aanholt, who made such an impressive debut on Sunday, is sidelined because Chelsea do not want him cup-tied before his New Year return to Stamford Bridge.

Michael McIndoe, Coleman’s other summer recruit, is also carrying a knock but is set to play in a radically revamped side that will probably feature at least four first-year professionals.

“It’s barmy, absolutely ridiculous, that there are so many games packed into the first two weeks of the season,” said Coleman.

“In fact it’s dangerous; players are going to get injured because it’s too taxing physically – you’re asking too much of them so early in the year.

“I can’t believe that we’re being asked to play three games in seven days, especially at the pace you get in the Championship and the Carling Cup.

“There are other teams in the same position as us, without big squads, so it’s crackers.

"It’s a ludicrous situation that needs to be addressed but there’s nothing we can do about it now so we’ve just got to get one with it.”

Coleman took a big gamble in playing Bell on Sunday but he now concedes: “I think we are going to have to bite the bullet.

"We’ll have a conversation with his surgeon and be guided by him as to what we’re going to do and when, but it looks as if we’re going to have to pull him out and get some more surgery on his ankle.

“That could put him out for a month to six weeks, but the sooner we get him in for the op, the sooner he’ll be back.

"He’s shown he’s a quality player, but he’ll be even better when we can sort him out.

“Leon Best took a bang on the side of his shin in the first half – like a dead-leg really – and he could hardly walk on Sunday night.

"He’ll go along with the Republic squad and they’ll check him out, but he won’t be playing.

"We’ll try to get him fit for the weekend, but that’s a big doubt.

“Clinton also took a knock and I don’t think he’ll be fit enough to start.